Palestinians agree on Arafat funeral

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Israeli and Palestinian officials have reached an agreement in
principle on funeral arrangements for the ailing Yasser Arafat, a
Palestinian official said today on condition of anonymity.

The news comes as French doctors fought to
stop haemorrhaging in the Palestinian
leader's brain, according to negotiations minister Saeb
Erakat.

"All efforts are being made by our friends the French doctors to
relieve this haemorrhaging," Erakat said.

There are few details about the reported burial agreement. The
Palestinian official refused to answer questions on
whether Israel had given the go-ahead for the Palestinian leader to
eventually be buried in his battered Muqata compound in the West
Bank town of Ramallah.

Earlier, a senior Israeli official, who asked not to be named,
said that the two sides would hold talks on the issue "in the
night".

No official announcement on Arafat's eventual death would be
made until "an agreement is reached on his burial," the Israeli
source added.

Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath denied a claim by a
fellow cabinet minister today that Arafat had died in a French
military hospital but said he was very ill.

Asked about an eventual burial in Ramallah, the Israeli official
said the Jewish state had not yet given the go-ahead.

"That issue has not yet been decided, and there are differences
of opinion among Israeli officials on that point," the official
said.

He recalled that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had ruled
out the possibility that Arafat could be buried in either Jerusalem
or its suburbs.

A senior foreign ministry official hinted today that the Jewish
state would likely not oppose the burial of Arafat in Ramallah.

Earlier, the head of Arafat's office, Tayeb Abdelrahim, told
reporters in Ramallah that should Arafat die, he would be laid to
rest in the West Bank town at the Muqata, where Israel kept him
under virtual house arrest for nearly three years.

"In case the worst will happen, all arrangements will take place
at the Muqata," Abdelrahim said, tears in his eyes.